Canton Tower, Television tower in Chigang Subdistrict, China.
Canton Tower reaches 600 meters in height with steel supports that taper upward and are reinforced by horizontal rings. The construction forms a noticeably narrow waist in the middle section, giving it an unusual silhouette.
The tower began operations on September 29, 2010, and served as an important venue during the Asian Games in Guangzhou. Since then it has functioned as a television and observation tower for the entire region.
Dutch architects Mark Hemel and Barbara Kuit conceived the tower as a geometric experiment with two rotating ellipses. Their design prevailed against several international architectural studios and brought an entirely new form to the city skyline.
Visitors reach different levels through slow panoramic elevators or fast enclosed elevators leading to restaurants and observation decks. On clear days the view extends far beyond the Pearl River estuary, while heavy smog can limit visibility.
The form emerges from two ellipses rotating against each other, creating a narrow constriction at 450 meters (1476 feet) above ground. This geometric construction gives the tower its characteristic appearance shared by no other tall building worldwide.
Location: Chigang Subdistrict
Inception: September 28, 2010
Architects: Information Based Architecture
Official opening: September 30, 2010
Architectural style: high-tech architecture
Floors above the ground: 37
Floors below the ground: 2
Elevators: 6
Elevation above the sea: 604 m
Height: 600 m
Website: https://cantontower.com
GPS coordinates: 23.10920,113.31915
Latest update: December 4, 2025 19:01
Chinese architecture spans modern skyscrapers, historic fortifications, and technical structures. From the glass bridge in Longtan Valley to the Canton Tower, these buildings combine tradition and modern technology. Temples, fortresses, and museums tell the country's history, while newer structures like the Tianjin Binhai Library and the Beijing National Stadium represent contemporary development. The collection includes examples from different regions across China. In Beijing stand the Phoenix Center, the National Stadium, and the Pangu Plaza. Shanghai houses the Oriental Pearl Tower and Nanjing Road. In Jiangsu Province, the Danyang-Kunshan Bridge extends for 102 miles (164 kilometers). The Canton Tower in Guangzhou reaches a height of 1,970 feet (600 meters). Historic sites complement the modern structures. The Xi'an City Wall in Shaanxi dates from the Ming Dynasty. The Ancient Town of Pingyao in Shanxi preserves traditional architecture from several centuries. The Leshan Giant Buddha in Sichuan was carved into a cliff face during the 8th century. The Wenchuan Earthquake Museum documents the 2008 natural disaster.
This collection brings together some of the most technically ambitious structures ever built, from record-breaking skyscrapers and suspension bridges to high-speed roller coasters that push the boundaries of what steel and concrete can achieve. These sites span continents and represent decades of engineering progress, offering visitors a chance to experience human innovation at heights and speeds that were once impossible. Whether you're standing on the observation deck of the Burj Khalifa in Dubai, walking across the glass floor panels of the CN Tower in Toronto, or racing through the launch sequence of Kingda Ka in New Jersey, each structure tells a story of technical ambition and problem-solving. The collection includes landmarks like the 324-meter Eiffel Tower in Paris, completed for the 1889 World Exhibition, and modern marvels such as Tokyo Skytree, which rises 634 meters above the city. You'll find the Millau Viaduct spanning the Tarn River valley in France at a height of 336 meters (1,100 feet), the tilted medieval bell tower in Pisa leaning at a 3.97-degree angle, and Russia's SkyBridge suspended between mountain peaks at 2,320 meters (7,600 feet) elevation. These places attract millions of visitors each year, offering not just views and thrills but a firsthand understanding of what modern engineering can accomplish when designers set out to build something exceptional.
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